By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

CLEEN Foundation has mobilised the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) to strengthen grassroots response against rising cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

At a two-day technical working group on developing a prevention manual on Tuesday in Kaduna, the Programme Director of CLEEN Foundation, Mr Salaudeen Hashim, described GBV as a “weapon in the hands of perpetrators”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop, supported by Ford Foundation, brought together stakeholders to design community-driven strategies aimed at curbing the growing menace of GBV.

Hashim said that reported GBV cases across police divisions had reached a worrisome level.

He said that there was the need to establish preventive infrastructure that enabled early detection and intervention, before cases would escalate into serious crimes within communities.

According to him, partnering with PCRC is strategic, as its membership of over 40 million people across Nigeria and the diaspora, gives it strong influence at the grassroots.

He explained that PCRC’s role as a bridge between communities and the police, positioned it to detect early warning signs, deter abuse and support prevention efforts.

Mr Salaudeen Hashim, the Programme Director of CLEEN Foundation

Hashim said that PCRC members had already committed to appointing GBV focal persons across their units, to monitor cases and intervene at early stages.

He disclosed that a draft GBV curriculum for police officers was ready and awaiting unveiling, after the new Inspector General of Police settled in office.

The programme director said that the curriculum would equip officers with skills to address gaps in case management and improve response to GBV survivors.

He also highlighted the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act as a robust legal framework, but lamented low awareness and poor implementation.

Hashim said that many gender desk officers in the Nigerian Police lacked adequate knowledge of the law, as well as tools, such as testing kits, making effective case handling difficult.

The CLEEN Foundation official said that GBV manifested in multiple forms, including physical, economic, psychological and sexual violence, as well as harmful cultural and religious practices.

He said that issues such as consent, defilement, rape, workplace harassment, sextortion and divorce-related obligations were widely misunderstood by the public.

Also speaking, Wada Abubakar, the Deputy National Chairman of the PCRC, Nigeria and Diaspora, said that the committee’s structure spanned police divisions, area commands, zones and international chapters.

Abubakar said that the PCRC’s statutory role included sensitising communities on security and social issues, including GBV affecting both women and men.

He said that violations such as denial of education, financial deprivation and early marriage remained prevalent in many communities, though gradual progress was being made.

Also, Bilkis Yusuf, the Head of Programme, Centre for Study and Resolution of Domestic Violence, said that it was important to strengthen collaboration with PCRC.

Yusuf said that developing of the GBV prevention manual was critical to guiding PCRC members in addressing the issue effectively within communities.

She said that all forms of GBV, including sexual, physical, economic and intimate partner violence, are widespread and equally concerning.

Yusuf called for a shift in societal attitudes, urging communities to unlearn harmful norms and adopt practices that protect the rights and dignity of all individuals. (NAN)